Pontiac District May be Able to Pay Bills With State Help

PONTIAC, Mich. – Under a deficit elimination plan approved by state Superintendent Mike Flanagan, the Pontiac School District may be able to pay its bills, according to The Detroit News.

The News reports that Pontiac was in danger of failing to make payroll. The district, according to The News, had not sufficiently reduced its overspending. The News reports that Pontiac was spending $37.7 million more than it was receiving in revenue. According to The News, Pontiac’s overspending has increased steadily since 2009.

With the state’s approval of the district’s deficit elimination plan, Pontiac will receive withheld state money, according to The News. The News also reports that Pontiac Superintendent Brian Dougherty will resign effective on May 17.

Some Michigan Districts Waste Federal Meal Subsidies

DETROIT – Thanks to federal nutrition guidelines, some Michigan school districts are unable to use federal school lunch subsidies, according to The Detroit News.

The News reports that at least 54 districts had more than $20,000 in unused subsidies, for a total of more than $2.3 million.

“To me, the schools are still serving as this dumping ground for the USDA’s …problems,” Susan Levin, director for nutrition education for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, told The News.

Carl Merkle, the head of Warren Consolidated Schools’ food service program, told The News that last year he ordered a lot of French Fries in February, but learned in May that the district was limited to serving them once per week.

“They changed the rules and they give us stuff that makes it tough,” Merkle told The News.

Bay Mills Pulls Authorization for Charter School After One Year

LANSING, Mich. – Bay Mills Community College is revoking its authorization of the Learn, Live, Lead (L3) Academy after the school’s first year, according to MLive.

MLive reports that the charter public school opened several weeks late, missed testing deadlines and failed to meet transparency requirements.

Buddy Morehouse, spokesperson for the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, told MLive that Bay Mill’s actions show that charter school authorizers are working to make sure low-quality schools are closed. “It shows that the oversight process that’s in place works, Morehouse told MLive.

Morehouse told MLive that public school districts do not close underperforming schools as quickly.